Divot

Derek Andersen

Divot brings you weekly conversations with the people building the future—founders, creators, athletes, and visionaries pushing the limits of business, technology, sports, and entertainment. We go beyond success stories to explore the real moments that define a journey—the risks, the failures, the breakthroughs, and the lessons that can help you on your path. Stories of people making their mark, and how you can too. New episodes every Wednesday. #DivotPodcast #Business #Tech #Sports #Entertainment #Innovation

  1. 1d ago

    #59: Mark Manson: 20 Million Books, an AI Startup, and Why Most Therapists Don't Actually Help

    Mark Manson is a three-time NYT number one bestselling author whose book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" has sold more than 20 million copies across 65 languages, hitting number one in 14 countries. He co-wrote Will Smith's memoir and recently co-founded Purpose, an AI mental health startup that hit seven-figure revenue in 12 days. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Mark breaks down the business mechanics behind 20 million books sold, why he treats every book as a product, why aspiring authors must study copywriting, and what deep market research gave "The Subtle Art" its best shot at success. He also explains why the therapy market is fundamentally broken and what his AI startup Purpose is doing to fix it. The conversation goes deeper into Mark's philosophy on happiness, why chasing it makes you less happy, why struggle is not something to avoid but to choose deliberately, and how his most meaningful career moments came through things he would never willingly repeat. Ultimately, this is a conversation about building work that lasts and a life that means something. Follow Greg - X (Twitter): https://x.com/gregisenbergFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsIf you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide Timestamps:00:01:39 — Why He Turned His Attention to AI Mental Health00:06:09 — Meeting His Co-Founder at a Poker Game00:10:47 — How Purpose Hit 7 Figures in 12 Days00:12:15 — Why the Therapy Industry Is Fundamentally Broken00:20:05 — What Most Authors Get Wrong About Books00:32:15 — Inside the Will Smith Memoir00:37:45 — The Take on the Oscars Slap He's Never Shared00:47:48 — The Biggest Lie About Happiness00:50:29 — Why Wanting Happiness Makes You Less Happy00:54:50 — Why Happiness Is the Wrong Question01:03:41 — The Real Mechanism Behind All Self-Help01:17:39 — "Ironically, He Gave a F*ck"01:24:08 — Struggle Is Inevitable - Choose Your Struggles Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#MarkManson #SubtleArt #Purpose #AIStartup #MentalHealth #BookMarketing #SelfHelp #Entrepreneurship #CreatorEconomy #Divot #DivotPodcast #AITherapy #PersonalDevelopment #FounderStory #StartupLife

    #59: Mark Manson: 20 Million Books, an AI Startup, and Why Most Therapists Don't Actually Help

  2. Jul 22

    #58: Greg Isenberg on AI Co-Founders, the Multi-Preneur, and Why Anyone Can Build a Startup Now

    Greg Isenberg is the entrepreneur and AI strategist behind Late Checkout, a portfolio of AI-native businesses powered by agents and online communities. He founded FiveBuy, acquired by StumbleUpon, and built Islands, acquired by WeWork. Through Idea Browser, Greg's Letter, and the Startup Ideas Podcast, Greg has shared over 2,000 startup ideas with millions of followers and advised the world's largest brands on AI strategy. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Greg explains why AI is only as good as the context you feed it, how to find validated startup ideas through trend data rather than intuition, and why the age of the multi-preneur has arrived. He breaks down his ACP framework, the builder-distributor advantage, and how to build a business from scratch in 90 days. The conversation goes deeper into what it truly means to become AI-native, why 1,000 hours of practice separates those who win from those who don't, and the formative baseball rejection that taught Greg the hardest truth: not everything is in your control. Greg shows that when the gatekeepers are gone, creativity and distribution become the last real competitive advantage. Follow Greg - X (Twitter): https://x.com/gregisenbergFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsIf you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide Timestamps:00:01:52 — The $2/Hour AI Co-Founder00:03:21 — How to Find the Right Startup Idea00:07:38 — Why Your AI Keeps Giving You Bad Results00:11:26 — What AI Will Replace in the Next 18 Months00:14:46 — Why Creatives Win the Age of AI00:18:45 — The Age of the Multi-Preneur00:24:56 — The Builder-Distributor Advantage00:26:32 — How to Run a Startup on Autopilot00:30:30 — 3 Hours vs. 6 Months: What AI Changed00:33:06 — Why AI Just Killed the Startup Gatekeepers00:41:32 — The 1,000-Hour Rule to Master AI00:43:34 — Build a Business in 90 Days: The ACP Framework00:47:00 — The Rejection That Changed Everything00:55:12 — "He Helped Me" — On Legacy and Purpose Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#GregIsenberg #LateCheckout #MultiPreneur #AIStartup #AICoFounder #StartupIdeas #AIPodcast #Entrepreneurship #BuilderDistributor #VibeCode #StartupStrategy #BoringBusiness #AIAge #DivotPodcast

    #58: Greg Isenberg on AI Co-Founders, the Multi-Preneur, and Why Anyone Can Build a Startup Now

  3. Jul 15

    #57: Choose Rich’s Nick O’Neill on Cancer, Crypto, Going Viral & Building a Million-Dollar Brand

    Nick O’Neill is the entrepreneur, software developer, and creator behind Choose Rich, the provocative online character that transformed crypto commentary, luxury satire, and internet outrage into a media business generating millions of dollars a year. After one yacht post exploded to more than 45 million impressions, Nick discovered how attention spreads, how perception shapes reality, and how to build a business around internet culture. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Nick opens up about his Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis after nearly two years of unexplained symptoms, the mindset helping him face chemotherapy, and why he believes, “I’m basically a statistic.” He also shares how he intentionally turned internet hate into viral growth, what most creators misunderstand about attention, and why optimism is ultimately a choice. The conversation goes deeper into selling Bitcoin and Ethereum too early, engineering viral marketing stunts, overcoming panic attacks, separating real blockchain innovation from crypto speculation, and building a media company that generates millions. Nick shows that resilience is not pretending life is easy; it is choosing what defines you, making people smile, and making the most of every single day. Follow Nick - X (Twitter): https://x.com/chooserichFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsIf you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide Timestamps:01:43 - Nick Opens Up About His Cancer Diagnosis07:41 - “I’m Basically a Statistic”14:11 - What It Means to Say, “I Ran a Good Race”16:06 - How Choose Rich Became a Viral Business18:27 - The Yacht Post That Reached 45 Million People21:27 - The Viral Yacht Stunt That Fooled the Internet26:12 - Selling Ethereum at $11 and Bitcoin at $15032:26 - Why Crypto Adoption Is Happening Quietly44:24 - The Failure That Sent Nick to the Hospital48:45 - Why Cancer Did Not Define Him59:21 - How Nick Measures a Successful Life Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#NickONeill #ChooseRich #CancerJourney #HodgkinLymphoma #Chemotherapy #Optimism #Resilience #Entrepreneurship #GoingViral #ViralMarketing #ContentCreator #CreatorEconomy #Crypto #Bitcoin #DivotPodcast

    #57: Choose Rich’s Nick O’Neill on Cancer, Crypto, Going Viral & Building a Million-Dollar Brand

  4. Jul 8

    #56: Pixar’s Ed Catmull on Steve Jobs, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Up & Building Creative Teams

    Ed Catmull co-founded Pixar and helped build the creative engine behind some of the most beloved films of the last 30 years, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up. Long before Pixar changed animation forever, Ed helped pioneer 3D computer graphics, build RenderMan, and partner with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter to create one of the most influential creative companies in history. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Ed reveals how Pixar really became Pixar: the 14-year path to making Toy Story possible, why Steve Jobs stayed out of the Braintrust, how Pixar protected creative honesty, and why getting the team right matters more than getting the idea right. He also shares lessons from Creativity Inc. on long-term thinking, failure, leadership, disagreement, and building a culture where the best ideas can survive. The conversation goes deeper into the stories behind Pixar’s success, from almost losing Toy Story 2 to choosing hard films like Ratatouille and Up when they did not look commercially obvious. Ed shows that Pixar’s real secret was not one perfect idea, one genius leader, or one lucky movie. It was a culture strong enough to turn impossible ideas into stories the world never forgets. Follow Ed - X (Twitter): https://x.com/edcatmullFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsGrab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia Timestamps:01:39 - Why Great Companies Fail to Think Long-Term07:35 - Why VR, Oculus, and Tech Hype Got Ahead of Reality19:13 - The 14-Year Math Behind Toy Story24:57 - Why the Right Environment Creates Pioneers37:34 - Why Steve Jobs Let Pixar Publish Everything42:26 - Steve Jobs’ $54M Bet on Pixar44:53 - Why Great Teams Create Great Ideas54:20 - Why Pixar Did Not Call Every Mistake a Failure59:08 - Why Steve Jobs Stayed Out of Pixar’s Braintrust01:03:06 - Why Powerful Leaders Should Speak Last01:15:03 - How Pixar Made Steve Jobs a Billionaire01:21:15 - The Steve Jobs Transformation Most People Missed01:24:17 - Why Ed Catmull Believes He Is Wrong Half the Time01:33:10 - Ed Catmull Was Removed as Pixar President Twice01:37:27 - Why Creativity Inc. Was Really About Building Great Teams01:42:26 - How Pixar Almost Lost Toy Story 201:46:36 - How Pixar Became a Repeatable Creative Studio01:47:19 - Why Ratatouille and Up Should Not Have Worked01:49:13 - How Ed Catmull Measures a Good Life Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#pixar #stevejobs #edcatmull #toystory #creativityinc #pixarbraintrust #findingnemo #theincredibles #ratatouille #walle #up #creativeleadership #storytelling #innovation #divotpodcast

    #56: Pixar’s Ed Catmull on Steve Jobs, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Up & Building Creative Teams

  5. Jul 1

    #55: The Best Lessons From 50+ Divot Conversations | Special Recap

    After more than 50 episodes of Divot, Derek Andersen celebrates conversations that have inspired, educated, and reached millions. This special recap features Doug Leone, former Global Managing Partner at Sequoia Capital, the legendary venture firm behind Apple, Google, YouTube, Airbnb, WhatsApp, Stripe, and Nvidia; Justin Kan, the Twitch co-founder behind a nearly $1B Amazon exit; Charlie Rocket, the brain-tumor survivor who lost 120 pounds and became a Nike athlete; Marc Randolph, the Netflix co-founder and first CEO; and James Dumoulin, the School of Hard Knocks co-founder who built a 22M-follower media empire. You’ll also hear Guy Kawasaki, the former Apple evangelist and Canva chief evangelist; Tim Draper, the legendary venture capitalist known for Tesla, SpaceX, Skype, Hotmail, and Bitcoin; Liz Wiseman, the bestselling author of Multipliers and one of the top voices in leadership; Brandt Andersen, the Hollywood filmmaker and producer behind Lone Survivor, Everest, American Made, Silence, and I Was a Stranger; Tina Roth Eisenberg, the CreativeMornings founder who built a global movement around creativity; and Dave Bell, the creator behind Dave’s Auto Center and a voice for craftsmanship, faith, family, and legacy. In this special recap episode, Derek Andersen revisits the wisdom behind the journey: showing up before anyone is watching, taking risks before the outcome is clear, building through rejection, finding meaning beyond money, leading with humility, and keeping faith, values, family, and purpose at the center. These are the moments that capture the heart of Divot so far. Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsGrab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia Timestamps:00:00 — The Wisdom Behind 50+ Divot Episodes01:05 — Celebrating More Than 50 Episodes of Divot02:18 — Doug Leone: The Discipline to Show Up03:52 — Justin Kan: Why Success Doesn’t Solve Everything06:02 — Charlie Rocket: The Winning Streak Mindset08:30 — James Dumoulin: When Rejection Becomes Fuel11:53 — Guy Kawasaki: Stop Trying to Be the Next Steve Jobs15:05 — Tim Draper: Ideas That Can Change the World17:57 — Liz Wiseman: How Great Leaders Actually Change20:50 — Marc Randolph: You’re Living the Good Old Days23:36 — Brandt Andersen: Why Hard Things Shape Us26:03 — Tina Roth Eisenberg: The Lost Art of Being Human28:08 — Dave Bell: Keep Your Feet Moving Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#DivotPodcast #DerekAndersen #Entrepreneurship #Founders #Leadership #StartupLessons #WorldClassBuilders #BusinessWisdom #PurposeDriven #FaithAndFamily #VentureCapital #Creators

    #55: The Best Lessons From 50+ Divot Conversations | Special Recap

  6. Jun 24

    #54: The Human Data Engine Training Smarter AI Models | Micro1 CEO

    Ali Ansari is the founder and CEO of Micro1, the human data engine helping AI labs train foundational models and enterprises build better AI agents. With more than 5M people screened, Micro1 provides expert data, frontier evaluations, reinforcement learning environments, and contextual agent evaluations for the next generation of AI systems. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Ali explains how large language models actually learn, why human judgment still drives AI progress, and why real-world company data may become one of the most valuable assets in the AI economy. He breaks down long-horizon tasks, compounding errors, post-training, AI agents, and the “infinite last mile” of intelligence. Ali also shares what it feels like to build at the center of the San Francisco AI boom, why AI will create new categories of high-value jobs, and how his journey from immigrating to the U.S. from Iran to building Micro1 shaped his founder mindset. This is a conversation about AI, human expertise, and embracing the chaos of a once-in-a-generation technology wave. Follow Ali - Instagram: https://x.com/aliansarinikFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsGrab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia Timestamps:01:32 — Building Micro1 in the Center of the AI Boom06:57 — A Once-in-a-Lifetime AI Opportunity08:44 — How Micro1 Helps Train Smarter AI Models10:43 — Why AI Models Never Stop Learning14:56 — Why AI Still Needs Human Experts17:49 — The Model Is Not the Product21:23 — Who Wins and Loses in the AI Era27:25 — When AI Agents Become Team Members29:19 — The Talent War for AI Researchers33:38 — Why Your Company Data Is Training AI38:35 — From Iran to the American Dream44:33 — Why Taking a Unique Path Can Win48:04 — Embrace the Chaos49:50 — Why AI Will Create New Jobs53:02 — How Ali Measures His Life Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #AIData #AIAgents #MachineLearning #Startups #DivotPodcast

    #54: The Human Data Engine Training Smarter AI Models | Micro1 CEO

  7. Jun 17

    #53 Part 2: Charlie Rocket on Manifesting Backwards, Winning Streaks & Making Impossible Dreams Real

    Charlie Rocket believes your dream may already be done; time just has not caught up yet. In Part 2 of this conversation, the Dream Machine Foundation founder explains how the things that light you up can become a signal, a direction, and a reason to move before the world gives you proof. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Charlie breaks down manifesting backwards, speaking the future before it exists, and building a winning streak in your mind. He shares why he walked away from a $15M business to chase becoming a Nike athlete, how writing things down makes the invisible feel real, and why words can shape the reality you move toward. The conversation goes deeper into dreams, miracles, faith, identity, and the courage to live inside possibility. Charlie shows that life can change faster than most people think when you stop waiting for certainty and start acting from the future you believe is already on the way. Follow Charlie - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlieFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsGrab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia Timestamps:01:32 — How to Find the Dream That Lights You Up05:06 — Why Charlie Walked Away From a $15M Business06:01 — How to Manifest Backwards11:37 — Speaking the Future Before It Exists15:53 — Charlie’s Nike Manifestation Story17:19 — Why Writing Things Down Makes Dreams Real19:28 — How to Start Seeing Miracles22:23 — Derek’s Scotty Cameron Miracle Story27:15 — You Weren’t Derailed, You Were Delivered28:11 — The Pain That Built Charlie’s Success36:25 — The Winning Streak That Changed His Life37:35 — How to Overcome Hard Things38:57 — Measuring Life in Possibilities39:53 — What Charlie Hopes God Says Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#charlierocket #delusionaloptimism #manifestingbackwards #winningstreak #impossibledreams #dreammachine #manifestation #mindset #personalgrowth #reinvention #miracles #purpose #possibility #entrepreneurship #divotpodcast

    #53 Part 2: Charlie Rocket on Manifesting Backwards, Winning Streaks & Making Impossible Dreams Real

  8. Jun 10

    #53: Brain Tumor, Losing 120 Pounds & Becoming a Nike Athlete: Charlie’s Delusional Optimism Formula

    Charlie Rocket helped create major cultural moments in hip hop, working with artists like 2 Chainz, contributing to Grammy-winning campaigns, winning an Emmy, and managing some of the biggest names in music. But after facing obesity, depression, burnout, and a brain tumor, Charlie reinvented everything: he lost 120 pounds, became a Nike athlete, ran across America, and turned Dream Machine Foundation into a global movement for impossible dreams. In this episode with Derek Andersen, Charlie breaks down his Delusional Optimism Formula: how to turn pain into proof, proof into belief, and belief into action. He explains why the key to changing your life is building a winning streak in your mind, collecting constant proof that you are winning, and training yourself to see setbacks, rejection, and failure as signs that life is still working for you. The conversation goes deeper into reinvention, identity, manifestation, gratitude, viral content, and the courage to believe your life can change faster than you think. Charlie shows that impossible dreams are not built by avoiding pain. They are built by turning every loss into momentum, every setback into a lesson, and every small win into proof that your dream is already on the way. Follow Charlie - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlieFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen Episode Partners:Google for StartupsGrab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia Timestamps:00:00 — Charlie Rocket’s Delusional Optimism Formula00:36 — From Hip Hop Success to a Life-Changing Brain Tumor00:56 — Losing 120 Pounds and Becoming a Nike Athlete05:08 — Why You Are Undefeated09:28 — Turning Every Loss Into a Win12:37 — What Delusional Optimism Really Means17:33 — Proof Creates Delusion, Delusion Creates Action30:02 — How to Become a Delusional Optimist34:59 — How to Reinvent Yourself35:33 — Kobe Bryant, Black Mamba, and the Alter Ego Effect40:57 — Charlie’s Viral Content System42:16 — 20M Views and 200K Followers in 45 Days44:43 — How to Build a Winning Streak Every Morning57:48 — How Fast Your Life Can Change Follow Divot:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg Hashtags:#charlierocket #delusionaloptimism #nikeathlete #dreammachine #reinvention #mindset #manifestation #winningstreak #personalgrowth #impossibledreams #brainTumorSurvivor #entrepreneurship #founderjourney #motivation #divotpodcast

    #53: Brain Tumor, Losing 120 Pounds & Becoming a Nike Athlete: Charlie’s Delusional Optimism Formula
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5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Divot brings you weekly conversations with the people building the future—founders, creators, athletes, and visionaries pushing the limits of business, technology, sports, and entertainment. We go beyond success stories to explore the real moments that define a journey—the risks, the failures, the breakthroughs, and the lessons that can help you on your path. Stories of people making their mark, and how you can too. New episodes every Wednesday. #DivotPodcast #Business #Tech #Sports #Entertainment #Innovation

Information

  • Creator
    Derek Andersen
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    61
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Derek Andersen
  • Show Website
    Divot